Endangered Place Blog: Tropical Rainforests
Tropical Rainforests Description of place: Tropical Rainforests are located in regions near the equator that receive more than 70 inches of rain annually. They cover about 6 percent of the world's land surface. They have four main characteristics: 1. Very high annual rainfall 2. High average temperatures 3. Nutrient-poor soil 4. High levels of biodiversity Biodiversity: Rainforests are home to half of all the living animal and plant species on the planet. 2/3 of all flowering plants can be found in rainforests. A single hectare of rainforest may contain 42,000 different species of insect, up to 807 trees of 313 different species, and 1,500 species of higher plants. Rainforests also produce about 20 percent of our oxygen and store a huge amount of carbon dioxide, drastically reducing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. They also absorb massive amounts of solar radiation. All together, these processes help to stabilize Earth's climate. Pictures: Historical Comparison: One...